On the 800th day since the massacre carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel, approximately 200 former hostages and families of hostages issued a public appeal on Sunday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to establish a state commission of inquiry or resign from office.
Among the signatories were former hostages Yarden Bibas, Arbel Yehud, Ariel and Sharon Cunio, Luis Har, Gadi Mozes, Amit Soussana, Ohad and Raz Ben Ami, the sister of Eden Yerushalmi who was murdered in captivity, and John and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, parents of Hersh, who was also murdered in captivity.
In their appeal, they stated: "Such a commission is the only mechanism capable of investigating without fear, bias, or limitations the entire chain of failures that preceded the day of disaster, those that occurred during it, and all decision-making processes regarding the abductees and the conduct of the war."
The statement further read: "This commission must examine every aspect of that day, including the collapse of defense and intelligence systems, the unanswered calls for help, the abandonment of border communities for long hours, and the abandonment of civilians and soldiers to the inferno that unfolded across the country."
The October Council added: "We call on the Government of Israel to stop evading, stop delaying, stop covering up, and immediately establish a state commission of inquiry. We demand truth. We demand justice. We demand accountability. If you do not intend to take responsibility and establish such a commission, as demanded by the majority of the people, step aside and let the people decide."